Honourable Members without honour
- Details
- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
- Hits: 794
It was a brazen show of shame on Tuesday June 22 2010 when many concerned Nigerians were embarrassed by the shameless display at the House of Representatives.
Those who label themselves as ‘honourable’ but who practically lack the traits that qualify them to assume the prestigious title finally showed us their true colours. The House chamber was amazingly turned in to a wrestling ring where only wild wrestlers such as Shawn Micheal, the Undertaker, Baptista, Randy Orton and Tripple H; would risk challenging opponents. Nigerians are disappointed that their representatives who, as lawmakers make laws for Nigerian citizens would get so unruly as to engage in a free-for-all fight in the presence of school children. According to news reports, the school children were on an excursion visit to the lower chamber to witness legislative proceedings. One of my children, a 9-year old girl, startlingly asked, while watching the clip of the fracas during the 9pm network news, whether it was rampaging motor-park touts that forced themselves into the chamber. My unprepared response was that those fighting looked more like political thugs than motor-parks touts.
A group in the House of Representatives, called “The Progressives”, had earlier on Monday June 21 2010 presented a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging misappropriation of funds by the leadership of the House. The Group is alleging embezzlement of N9 billion allocated to the parliament under the 2008/2009 capital budget through inflation of contracts and reckless spending. Part of the allegations forwarded by the Group led by Representative Dino Melayo include a N2.3 car scam in which Peugeot Automobile supplied vehicles not demanded for in the contract while balance of payment was unaccounted for. The Group is also alleging that torchlights, Blood Pressure (BP) apparatus and other items that are not necessary requirements for lawmakers in the discharge of their statutory duties were purchased at exorbitant prices. Whether the allegations are true or not, the least reaction many Nigerians expected from the leadership and other members of the House of Representatives was to either refer it to Ethics and Privileges Committee or to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter. No matter how provoked and hurt either of the parties felt, it was not good enough for Members of Parliament (MP) to lose their sense of maturity and responsibility in the manner they did. We find it highly mind-boggling that the same female member, Representative Doris Ugbo, who was shouting “Due process” in the midst of the brawl, slapped a male colleague, Representative Idris Wase, three times.
Two lessons, at least, are apparent from the recent fight among the members of parliament. First, it reveals the quality of people representing Nigerians. Second, it similarly indicates that the MPs are not true representatives of the Nigerian people because their actions contradict the expectations of the electorate. If this is not the case, why have they refused to pass the bill banning the misuse of siren? Why have they ignored the bill on Freedom of Information; like they did to several other bills that have direct bearings on the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians? The ordinary Nigerian has a cause to doubt the sincerity of purpose in the claims and counterclaims made by members on both sides of the divide, which they are desperately struggling to defend. The strike action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is to weeks old with no MP considering the issue so serious enough to worry about let alone “fight” for a positive change in the situation.
There are quite a lot of issues over which the MPs should have gone to the extreme if that is necessary at all, and for which they could have been pardoned by Nigerians for doing so. If the Mps claim they are true representatives of Nigerians having genuine feelings at heart, why did we not see them quarrel over the scam discovered by the power probe? I guess the Mps forgot they were wrestlers when in 2009 the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was allowed to last for six-months. The 98% failure in the last NECO examination was also to them not a matter over which to lose sleep. The media is full of reports about individuals being declared missing, kidnapped, killed, or had their bodies mutilated for ritual or other motives. Yet, the MPs are too busy over matters that concern themselves and their family members to have time to think of ways of combating the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. This column, like many others, is compelled to raise these issues because of the insensitive attitude of some of our lawmakers to critical matters of common interest.
Nigerians are aware of the plans by the federal government to spend N10 billion to celebrate 50 years of failure and under-development. We expect the lawmakers to speak for Nigerians in this matter and to ensure that funds meant to provide essential social services for the masses of this country are not allowed to be diverted to service few individuals and their families. May Allah (SWT) guide our leaders and representatives to the path of guidance so that only maturity and not rascality would manifest when there arises a disagreement among them, amin.
Articles
Honourable Members without honour
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 794
It was a brazen show of shame on Tuesday June 22 2010 when many concerned Nigerians were embarrassed by the shameless display at the House of Representatives.
Those who label themselves as ‘honourable’ but who practically lack the traits that qualify them to assume the prestigious title finally showed us their true colours. The House chamber was amazingly turned in to a wrestling ring where only wild wrestlers such as Shawn Micheal, the Undertaker, Baptista, Randy Orton and Tripple H; would risk challenging opponents. Nigerians are disappointed that their representatives who, as lawmakers make laws for Nigerian citizens would get so unruly as to engage in a free-for-all fight in the presence of school children. According to news reports, the school children were on an excursion visit to the lower chamber to witness legislative proceedings. One of my children, a 9-year old girl, startlingly asked, while watching the clip of the fracas during the 9pm network news, whether it was rampaging motor-park touts that forced themselves into the chamber. My unprepared response was that those fighting looked more like political thugs than motor-parks touts.
A group in the House of Representatives, called “The Progressives”, had earlier on Monday June 21 2010 presented a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging misappropriation of funds by the leadership of the House. The Group is alleging embezzlement of N9 billion allocated to the parliament under the 2008/2009 capital budget through inflation of contracts and reckless spending. Part of the allegations forwarded by the Group led by Representative Dino Melayo include a N2.3 car scam in which Peugeot Automobile supplied vehicles not demanded for in the contract while balance of payment was unaccounted for. The Group is also alleging that torchlights, Blood Pressure (BP) apparatus and other items that are not necessary requirements for lawmakers in the discharge of their statutory duties were purchased at exorbitant prices. Whether the allegations are true or not, the least reaction many Nigerians expected from the leadership and other members of the House of Representatives was to either refer it to Ethics and Privileges Committee or to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter. No matter how provoked and hurt either of the parties felt, it was not good enough for Members of Parliament (MP) to lose their sense of maturity and responsibility in the manner they did. We find it highly mind-boggling that the same female member, Representative Doris Ugbo, who was shouting “Due process” in the midst of the brawl, slapped a male colleague, Representative Idris Wase, three times.
Two lessons, at least, are apparent from the recent fight among the members of parliament. First, it reveals the quality of people representing Nigerians. Second, it similarly indicates that the MPs are not true representatives of the Nigerian people because their actions contradict the expectations of the electorate. If this is not the case, why have they refused to pass the bill banning the misuse of siren? Why have they ignored the bill on Freedom of Information; like they did to several other bills that have direct bearings on the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians? The ordinary Nigerian has a cause to doubt the sincerity of purpose in the claims and counterclaims made by members on both sides of the divide, which they are desperately struggling to defend. The strike action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is to weeks old with no MP considering the issue so serious enough to worry about let alone “fight” for a positive change in the situation.
There are quite a lot of issues over which the MPs should have gone to the extreme if that is necessary at all, and for which they could have been pardoned by Nigerians for doing so. If the Mps claim they are true representatives of Nigerians having genuine feelings at heart, why did we not see them quarrel over the scam discovered by the power probe? I guess the Mps forgot they were wrestlers when in 2009 the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was allowed to last for six-months. The 98% failure in the last NECO examination was also to them not a matter over which to lose sleep. The media is full of reports about individuals being declared missing, kidnapped, killed, or had their bodies mutilated for ritual or other motives. Yet, the MPs are too busy over matters that concern themselves and their family members to have time to think of ways of combating the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. This column, like many others, is compelled to raise these issues because of the insensitive attitude of some of our lawmakers to critical matters of common interest.
Nigerians are aware of the plans by the federal government to spend N10 billion to celebrate 50 years of failure and under-development. We expect the lawmakers to speak for Nigerians in this matter and to ensure that funds meant to provide essential social services for the masses of this country are not allowed to be diverted to service few individuals and their families. May Allah (SWT) guide our leaders and representatives to the path of guidance so that only maturity and not rascality would manifest when there arises a disagreement among them, amin.